INTERVIEW | Make Money by Committing to Your Goals with Waldo Waldman

Lieutenant Colonel Waldo Waldman, known as “The Wingman,” is a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, executive coach, combat-decorated F-16 fighter pilot, and bestselling author of Never Fly Solo. After flying 65 combat missions and overcoming his own battles with fear and claustrophobia, Waldo now helps leaders and organizations build trust, strengthen teamwork, and perform under pressure. His latest book, Commit Commit, explores how commitment, preparation, and purpose can help you break through fear and achieve goals that once seemed impossible. In this episode, Waldo shares lessons from his transition out of the military into sales and entrepreneurship, explains how he built a successful speaking career, and reveals why the freedom to succeed often begins with the courage to commit.

On this episode we talk about:

How Waldo transitioned from being a combat-decorated fighter pilot to a career in sales, speaking, and entrepreneurship.

Why preparation, work ethic, and resilience are essential to succeeding in sales and business.

How building relationships, asking for help, and paying it forward contributed to Waldo's professional growth.

Why building a personal brand and platform before publishing a book can make it easier to generate sales and open doors.

How commitment, purpose, and teamwork can help you overcome fear, navigate uncertainty, and achieve meaningful goals.

Top 3 Takeaways

Preparation creates a competitive advantage. Whether you're flying a fighter jet, making a sales call, or delivering a keynote, success rarely comes from winging it. Research your audience, understand their needs, and put in the work before you show up.

Commitment creates freedom. Keeping every option open can make it easy to avoid difficult decisions. Choosing a meaningful goal and committing to it forces you to focus, take action, and find a way forward—even when you don't feel completely ready.

Build your platform before you need it. Don't wait until your book is published or your product is ready to start building an audience. Share your expertise through articles, speaking, podcasts, and other channels so you have relationships, credibility, and potential customers when the time comes to launch.

Notable Quotes